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Why Do Bad Things Happen?

Scott Risley

Luke 13:1-5

Jesus was approached with the question, "Why do bad things happen?" There are many explanations for the problem of evil: 1) divine retribution (almost everything has a spiritual cause); 2) eastern monism (the suffering world is unreal); and 3) naturalism (everything can be explained by cause and effect within a closed system). Jesus rejects these three explanations. The Biblical view is that everything can be explained by cause and effect within an open system. God created a perfect world with no evil. The perfection of this world was broken when humanity rebelled against God. The Biblical view displays the love of God, calls us to fight evil, and assures us that evil is temporary.

Keywords

{"passage": "Luke 13:1-5","passageabreviated": "Luke 13:1-5","passagetiny": "Luke 13:1-5","teacher": "Scott Risley","teachingDate": "03/3...

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Choice or Destiny

Ryan Lowery

Romans 9:1-32

Paul moves away from spiritual growth into the question of what happens to the nation of Israel. Paul expands on God's sovereign choice to use the nation of Israel. God's sovereignty is demonstrated in His willingness to use nations and individuals to bring about salvation through Jesus Christ and calls on the individuals within those nations to make a choice to receive his mercy or not. The implications for Christians are that we can use our free choice to have a deep impact for God.

Keywords

{"passage": "Romans 9:1-32","passageabreviated": "Rom 9:1-32","passagetiny": "Rom 9:1-32","teacher": "Ryan Lowery","teachingDate": "02/07...

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Our New Identity

Ryan Lowery

Romans 6:1-14

We have been given the choice to separate ourselves from our old identity in Adam and accept freedom through the work on the cross of Jesus Christ. The choices we make in our new identity in Christ are still our own choices and we can still use that free will to sin. If you're asking yourself why not keep living the life of sin that was so easy before? The answer is because it is fundamentally not who we are anymore after being freed from enslavement to sin after receiving salvation in Christ.

Keywords

{"passage": "Romans 6:1-14","passageabreviated": "Rom 6:1-14","passagetiny": "Rom 6:1-14","teacher": "Ryan Lowery","teachingDate": "12/06...

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The New Adam

Ryan Lowery

Genesis 5:17

What does our identity in Adam mean? Adam was given free choice in the garden, and this was Gods' design to have a loving relationship. Adam chose to disobey God and brought death into the world and that choice affects us. Jesus also made a choice and through his choice, he brought eternal life into the world. We now have the option to accept Christ's sacrificial choice to apply to our lives and pay for our sins which restores the loving relationship God wanted from the beginning.

Keywords

{"passage": "Romans 5:12-21","passageabreviated": "Rom 5:12-21","passagetiny": "Rom 5:12-21","teacher": "Ryan Lowery","teachingDate": "11...

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Do You Want to Go Away Also?

Gary DeLashmutt

John 6:51-59

Jesus speaks to a large following of people that formed in response to miracles that He had performed during His time in on this Earth, explaining to them the hardships that come with following Him. After a large group of people leave, Jesus calls the disciples attention to the fact that they too have the free will to leave or stay and follow Him despite the suffering that comes with that choice. As we follow Christ with our lives, we learn that in order to persevere we must: expect suffering, value quality over quantity (with respect to spiritual life and ministry), and encourage one another to develop our own freely chosen convictions.

Keywords

{"passage": "John 6:60-69","passageabreviated": "John 6:60-69","passagetiny": "John 6:60-69","teacher": "Gary DeLashmutt","teachingDate":...

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The Prologue

Dennis McCallum

Luke 1:1-38

An introduction to the Book of Luke, including its historical reliability and the case for Luke's authorship. When the angel Gabriel visits the virgin Mary to tell her she will bear the Messiah, Mary chooses to respond in faith and gratitude, despite the risk of legal prosecution and her husband's rejection of her testimony. Mary decides to present herself to God as a willing participant in his plan. This passage illustrates humans' ability and decision to willingly participate in God's Will for their lives or reject God's Will through refusal, failure to decide, or passivity.

Keywords

{"passage": "Luke 1:1-38","passageabreviated": "Luke 1:1-38","passagetiny": "Luke 1:1-38","teacher": "Dennis McCallum","teachingDate": "0...

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Who is Satan?

Ryan Lowery

Ephesians 6:10-20

Paul explains spiritual warfare and this teaching focuses primarily on biblical teaching concerning God's adversary (Satan). Satan's goal is to get humanity to forsake God and worship ourselves. Our cultural representation of Satan is inaccurate and belittling. A clear understanding of Satan and the world system prepares us to recognize Satan's schemes.

Keywords

{"passage": "Ephesians 6:10-20","passageabreviated": "Eph 6:10-20","passagetiny": "Eph 6:10-20","teacher": "Ryan Lowery","teachingDate": ...

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How Salvation Works

Ryan Lowery

Ephesians 1:1-14

In the opening of the book of Ephesians, the author Paul communicates the fundamental truths for spiritual growth. The focus is on the meaning of predestination, free choice, God's omniscience, and the spiritual blessings we receive as children of God.

Keywords

{"passage": "Ephesians 1:1-14","passageabreviated": "Eph 1:1-14","passagetiny": "Eph 1:1-14","teacher": "Ryan Lowery","teachingDate": "02...

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The Narrow Gate

Jim Leffel

Matthew 7:13-23

Jesus presents the choice between the narrow gate and the wide gate. The wide gate represents itself as false prophets, spiritual deception, and misrepresenting God; all of which leads to destruction. But the narrow gate represents God's love and judgment and the gift of a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Jesus says not many will find the narrow gate, but God is continuously pursuing us to lead us to His truth.

Keywords

{"passage": "Matthew 7:13-23","passageabreviated": "Matt 7:13-23","passagetiny": "Matt 7:13-23","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingDate": "...

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